September 2003

NEIL GIRALDO
Guitarist, Producer, Partner
The Cleveland native paid his dues on the Midwest circuit before nearly hitting the big time with Rick Derringer. Then came the call to be the musical director for an up-and-coming female rocker… By Ward Meeker

BRYAN LEE
Have Blues Guitar – Will Travel
Hearing him play the blues erases any stereotypes you may have about his blindness, and blurs the color line pretty well, too. And at any given time, his audience may include the likes of B.B. King or Sting. By Dan Forte

THE HISTORY OF MARSHALL AMPS
Part One: The Birth of the Marshall
From the first JTM to models for Clapton and Townshend, Jim Marshall has been building amps since the early 1960s. Though inspired by others, his amps are entities unto themselves. By Edward B. Driscoll, Jr.

UNIVOX HI-FLYER
Another product of the ’70s “copy era,“ this Mosrite-inspired guitar frequently shows up in the hands of “alternative” players who, whether they know it or not, are paying tribute to the legacy of the Ventures. By Michael Wright

THE BASS SPACE
’80s Guild Pilot
Plenty of guitar aficionados agree that Guild has maintained a high degree of quality over the decades. However, it has never been a big factor in the electric bass business. By Willie G. Moseley

THE DIFFERENT STRUMMER
Favorites from Fender’s Forlorn Years
By the early ’80s, Fender was suddenly floundering. So CBS set up a team to set things straight. Some interesting instruments emerged from the turmoil. By Michael Wright